Večernji list has launched the Z-Resolution project, the largest environmental project in Croatia. The aim is to raise awareness about the protection and preservation of the environment to encourage every individual to actively and consciously engage in environmental protection. Because of the increasingly obvious effects of man-made climate change, the Z-Resolution project shows how indispensable the issues of the environment, ecology, and environmental awareness are. The main focus of the project is to link concrete, socially useful environmental activities, thereby influencing the public and actively spreading awareness of the environment and its protection.
Večernji list, as the umbrella media institution in Croatia, wants to bring together as many participants as possible at the local and national level who, together and through their involvement, will contribute to a visible change in environmental awareness, which deserves to be highlighted and remembered.
Contribution of DIV Group and Brodosplit to environmental protection
Recognizing innovation as the basis for competitiveness in the international market, as well as the importance of a systematic approach to innovative product development and improvement of production and business processes, DIV Group and its members have been intensively developing their research and development capabilities in the railroad and maritime sectors. Since 2018, the DIV Group has initiated and implemented numerous energy efficiency projects co-financed by the European Structural Funds.
With the project to increase the efficiency of energy used in the production process and the transition to renewable energy sources in the production facilities of the DIV Group, the members of the Group contribute to the achievement of the global sustainable development goals.
The main activity of the Knin branch is the production of screw goods, where during the production process technology is used that generates waste heat, which the cooling system releases into the atmosphere. Switching to a system of heat pumps to use waste heat will lead to a reduction in emissions of waste heat into the environment, which in turn will lead to a reduction in electricity consumption.
The energy efficiency projects in Brodosplit will result in the discontinuation of the use of fuel oil as a source of energy and will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. The introduction of heat pumps in the system, recuperators with the reuse of thermal energy of exhaust air will reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and have a positive impact on greenhouse gas emissions and reduce the number of harmful gasses emitted into the atmosphere.
The heat pumps will replace the energy sources currently used and allow the transition to a more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly energy source. The installation of a new lighting system with LED technology will result in a reduction of CO2 emissions into the environment by 172.31 tCO2 / year.
The projects to increase energy efficiency in the Knin branch of the DIV screw factory through the construction of a photovoltaic power plant with 6500 KW and in the production plant of the Brodosplit shipyard through the construction of a photovoltaic power plant with 8100 KW will result in the need to buy less electricity, the prices of which have skyrocketed.
Electricity is the main source of energy in the production process in Brodosplit, so the installation of a solar power plant will significantly affect the final price of ships, which sometimes take several years to build.
A research and development project in collaboration with several universities and colleges, such as a zero-emission passenger sailing vessel with three masts for at least 36 passengers, intends to research and develop alternative propulsion technologies and energy sources based on an environmentally friendly design that aims to achieve sustainable zero-emission mobility that supports environmental sustainability and reduces greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, and noise.
The operation of the vessel will be enabled by the use of wind energy and electricity from rechargeable batteries. All vessel services (air conditioning and ventilation, galley, freezers, pumps, lighting, winches, water heaters, alarms, and other loads) are also powered by rechargeable batteries during the vessel’s voyage. The batteries are recharged by converting wind and solar energy using a reversible propeller, hydrokinetic turbine with generator/motor, wind generator, photovoltaic system, and shore power sources.